very

ve|ry¹ W1S1 [ˈveri] adv

1.) [+ adjective/adverb]

used to emphasize an adjective, adverb, or phrase

▪ It feels very cold today.

▪ The fishing industry is very important to the area.

▪ The traffic's moving very slowly this morning.

▪ problems that are very similar to mine

▪ I feel a lot better - thank you very much .

▪ I'm very, very (=used for emphasis) pleased you can come.

▪ It's very kind of you to help.

▪ My sister and I were married on the very same (=exactly the same) day.

the very best/latest/worst etc

▪ We only use the very best ingredients.

2.) not very good/happy/far etc

a) not good etc at all

▪ I'm just not very good at spelling.

▪ The garden's not very big, is it?

▪ The assistant wasn't very helpful.

▪ 'Was the talk interesting?' 'Not very (=only slightly) .'

3.) your very own

used to emphasize the fact that something belongs to one particular person and to no one else

▪ She was thrilled at the idea of having her very own toys to play with.

of your very own

▪ At last, a home of her very own.

4.) informal used with adjectives to say that the quality something has is very noticeable or typical

▪ It was a very male reaction, I thought.

▪ His films are always very French.

5.) very much so

spoken used to emphasize your agreement or approval

▪ 'Are you serious?' 'Very much so.'

6.) very well

old-fashioned spoken used to agree to something

very ²

very² W1S2 adj [only before noun]

[Date: 1200-1300; : Old French; Origin: verai, from Latin verax 'truthful', from verus 'true']

used to emphasize that you are talking exactly about one particular thing or person

▪ He died in this very room.

▪ I'll start at the very beginning.

▪ Those were his very words.

▪ You'd better start doing some work this very minute (=now, not later) .

▪ That might provoke a riot, the very thing he was trying to avoid.

▪ The very fact that you are reading this book suggests you want to improve your fitness.

▪ By its very nature , capitalism involves exploitation of the worker.

▪ His life's work was being destroyed before his very eyes (=directly in front of him) .

the very thought/idea/mention (of sth)

(=just thinking about or suggesting something)

▪ The very thought of food made me feel ill.

▪ The very mention of his name excited her.